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Kohan (series)

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For the term for a Jewish priest, see Kohen.

Kohan is a series of real-time strategy computer games developed by TimeGate Studios. The series concerns the fate of the fantasy world Khaldun and its heroes, the Kohan. To date there have been two games and one stand-alone expansion pack in the series:

  • Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns (March, 2001)
  • Kohan: Ahriman's Gift (November, 2001)
  • Kohan II: Kings of War (September, 2004)

Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns

Main article: Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns

Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns (usually shortened to KIS) is a real-time strategy game, developed by TimeGate Studios and published by Strategy First for Windows in 2001 and ported to Linux by Loki Software. The game is set in a high fantasy setting following the immortal beings named Kohan. It features a lengthy single-player campaign and skirmish maps playable in multiplayer, or against the AI. The gameplay focuses on controlling companies instead of individual soldiers, a mechanic praised by critics for eliminating micromanagement. KIS was widely regarded as being an innovative game, especially for a fledgling game design company.

Reception

The game was well received by critics, with an 84 ranking at Game Rankings[1]. It was praised for eliminating much of the micromanagement inherent in real-time strategy games while introducing new concepts to the genre and also for the strong AI opponents and multiplayer support.[2][3] It was criticized for the somewhat lackluster world, and the "inability to establish a distinctive atmosphere."[2] The game was nominated for "Computer Strategy Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences[4]. It has won "Strategy Game of the Year" awards in Computer Gaming World, PC Gamer, Computer Games Magazine and other magazines.[5]

The game was ported to Linux by Loki Software, shipping on August 24, 2001. A stand-alone expansion pack, Kohan: Ahriman's Gift, was released on November 6, 2001. A special edition was also published in May 2002, featuring new heroes, maps and AI options, but not the expansion pack.[6] A Kohan Mod Tool was released on June 17, 2002,[7] allowing the creation of numerous fan-made mods.

Kohan: Ahriman's Gift

Kohan: Ahriman's Gift
Developer(s)TimeGate Studios
Publisher(s)Strategy First
Platform(s)PC (Windows)
ReleaseNovember 6 2001
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Mode(s)Single player, MP over TCP/IP, Modem

Kohan: Ahriman's Gift (KAG) is a stand-alone expansion pack for KIS. It introduces new units and three new campaigns, as well as some new multiplayer maps and modes. It has been criticized for not bringing enough new features to justify its cost.

Kohan II: Kings of War

Kohan II: Kings of War
Developer(s)TimeGate Studios
Publisher(s)Take Two Interactive/Global Star Software
Platform(s)PC (Windows)
ReleaseSeptember 20 2004
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Mode(s)Single player, MP over TCP/IP, Modem

Kohan II: Kings of War is the sequel in story to Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns and its expansion pack, Kohan: Ahriman's Gift.

Story

The villainous Ceyah, now scattered and hunted by the forces of the Kohan Council, are in a desperate bid to regain their lost power. One of their member, a wizard named Sebak who hears the call of a dark voice, is transformed at the site of a dark fountain by an extradimensional force known only as The Shadow into the mighty Abbadon, the seemingly indestructable master of The Shadow.

With legions of The Fallen, The Undead and The Shadow at his command, Abbadon sweeps out over the face of the planet Khaldun in an attempt to subjugate all of its major races: the Human, the Gauri of the High Reaches, the Drauga of The Wastes and The Haroun of the Forests.

One of the Ceyah leaders and survivor of the original Ceyah purge, a ranger named Melchior, seeks out members of the Kohan Council. He finds himself confronted by his own hunter, the Istiran seeker Naava Daishan and newly revived Kohan warrior Jonas Teramun. Melchior seems to know Jonas from somewhere, but their connection is not yet clear. Unfortunately for Naava, she has learned from Melchior that her own sovereign Regent has been transformed into a monstrous lieutenant of The Shadow and must destroy her to free her former homeland. Forming an uneasy alliance, the trio set out to various kingdoms of the human realms, the Gauri and the Haroun and unlock a dangerous mystery.

The titanic elemental races of Khaldun: the Ord (earth), the Jotun (frost/water), the Djinn (air) and the Ifrit (fire) are threatening to cleanse Khaldun of the Shadow themselves by using their combined might to bring about a natural cataclysm that will extinguish all life and anti-life forces and allow life to begin anew. Now, the heroes must race against the forces threatening to annihilate everything. During this revelation, Jonas also learns through Melchior that he was once the Ceyah battle commander Sijansur. A brief crisis of faith in his allegiance to the Kohan Council is averted when Melchior himself cleaves the metal mask from Jonas' face as he is about to reclaim his full identity as his former pre-cleansing self. Melchior admonishes Jonas to rest, calling him "brother." Whether this is literal or figurative is not disclosed in the story.

After liberating the homelands of the Drauga, Naava, Jonas and Melchior learn of Shadow forces massing to make one more mortal strike, starting with the Gauri. Pooling their resources, the major races of Khaldun withstand an attempted massacre of their armies at the Gauri capital city only to come to a disturbing conclusion. Under the admonition of Council Leader Ravid Shakeri, our heroes set out to the well that spawned Abbadon to attempt sealing off the portal that feeds him his power and creates even more Shadowspawn life forms to do his bidding. However, the battle in the High Reaches has left Ahriman's former servant, Roxana, unable to close the well herself.

The only hope left lies with the less than perfected arcane powers commanded by Naava herself. While more of a warrior mage than a full practitioner, Naava can indeed seal the well, but the cost will be her life. Arriving at the Well, and with the forces of the Elementals coming together to reap the cataclysm, Jonas pleads with Naava to give Roxana time to recover and perform the sealing of the well. However, Naava will have none of it, understanding that all life on the planet will be extinguished if she doesn't act right away. She steps into the well, drawing upon all of her arcane knowledge and skill to slam the doorway between Khaldun and the Shadow Realm shut. Abbadon shatters. And all the Shadow spawn, deprived of the power source, are defeated or die instantly. All that remains of Naava is a broken amulet, a sign that she cannot be revived.

Jonas, crushed at the loss of his friend, is given cold comfort by Melchior. He wants his former Ceyah companion to join him in the rebuilding process and to possibly even join the Council itself. Melchior refuses, choosing to do as he always has: roaming the countryside and living by his wits, owing allegiance to no one - especially the Kohan who would dare to see him cleansed of his Ceyah identity. While it is not clear why he prefers his current existence, he simply tells Jonas as the story ends that the two men will meet again.

Voice Cast

Voiceover performances produced by Chakrasound.

Directed by Levon Louis.

References

  1. ^ "Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns summary". Game Rankings. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  2. ^ a b Geryk, Bruce (2001-03-29). "Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ McConnaughy, Tim. "Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns review". GameSpy. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  4. ^ "5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". AIAS. 2002-02-28. Retrieved 2007-01-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Strategy First newsbit". Retrieved 2007-01-16.
  6. ^ "Kohan special edition in stores". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  7. ^ "Strategy First newsbit #2". Retrieved 2007-01-16.
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